My View, Mel Hewitt: Walking back to happy-Ness for charity

Ruth Langley (supporting Multiple Sclerosis Trust), Cathy McCall (Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity), Sarah King (Alzheimers research) and Claire OHalloran (Crohns & Colitis UK) are to walk 81 miles around Loch Ness in six days through some of the most stunning but difficult terrain in the Scottish Highlands.

Published:12:55Thursday 31 March 2016

For some people who experience challenges beyond the everyday in life there is only one answer – to make some good come out of it and turn an unexpected and perhaps unkind twist of fate into an opportunity.

There are times in all of our lives when the overwhelming need to do something for an individual or a cause cannot be ignored.

I know we are on the receiving end of requests for help every day. Whether an advert highlighting the plight of working animals abroad or an envelope through the door –usually replete with stickers and a pen – asking us directly for a donation. We can’t escape, even if we wanted to.

All of these cries for help have one thing in common, they are all worthy of our support, they are all good causes. Whether you have a passion to save the Amur tiger or want to help bring fresh water to a remote village, the world is a better place if we all give as much as we can.

Humanity is awesome when we all pull together.

I try, as I’m sure many people do, to spread my charity pennies across a number of buckets and then there’s always something that hits you between the eyes and you feel the need to give a little more.

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how a few pence adds up to changing lives or circumstances, but collectively the results can be impressive.

In Doncaster there are four local ladies training for the trek of their lives and each is supporting a charity close to many hearts.

Their challenge is to walk around Loch Ness – 81 miles in six days through some stunning but difficult terrain in the Scottish Highlands.